1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method for manufacturing a fabric-like clothing for a machine for producing web material, in particular paper or paperboard. Also this invention relates to a method with which such a fabric-like clothing can be incorporated into a machine for producing web material and to a fabric-like clothing for a machine for producing web material.
2. Description of the Related Art
On machines for producing web material, for example machines for producing paper or paperboard, use is made in various regions of elongated, endlessly working belts or clothing which have the function of transporting the web material to be produced or/and processing said material, including in particular dewatering it in press sections. For this purpose use is often made of belts or clothing with fabric-like substrates which have an open, meaning porous structure. Spiral link fabrics (also known simply as spiral fabrics) have proven particularly advantageous in this case. To be able to influence the surface properties and/or permeability locally it is known to apply a coating with a continuous or discrete pattern onto or into such a fabric-like structure.
For example, EP 1 690 981 A1 proposes applying such a coating in the form of a topographical pattern by using a rotary screen to create the pattern with the required form and quality.
EP 1 690 982 A1 proposes creating a topographical pattern by applying it in a polymer extrusion process, whereby an extrusion head for dispensing the polymer material is moved over the surface of the fabric-like substrate and applies thereby the pattern with the required form.
WO 2004/061213 discloses a method for producing an endless belt which is coated or impregnated with coating material and can be used in press sections of a paper machine. The polymer coating material is applied in all three spatial directions with the required structure.
The use of this approach known from the prior art is problematic when the clothing to be coated works in an endless configuration on a paper machine or the like but is not manufactured in an endless configuration and has at least one seam region. At such a seam region it is possible for the two end regions of the clothing situated there to be detached from each other in order for the open clothing, meaning the clothing no longer in an endless configuration, to be installed onto a paper machine or the like. After installation is completed, the two end regions are joined together again, for example by way of an elongated fastener. This means that it must still be possible to separate the two end regions even when provision is made for coating material on the substrate of the clothing. Generally this means that the pattern of the coating has to be selected such that it leaves the seam region uncovered in order for it to be possible for the end regions there to separated from each other and joined together again.
What is needed in the art is a method for manufacturing a fabric-like clothing for a machine for producing web material, in particular paper or paperboard, with which any coating pattern can be created even on a fabric-like substrate with at least one seam region.